Automatic locking sliders

ABSTRACT

An automatic locking slider is disclosed for use with a slide fastener, which slider comprises a slider body, a pull tab and a locking spring. The locking spring is secured at one end in such a manner that it does not project outwardly beyond the outer surface of the slider body so as to avoid deformation of the spring when a slider-attached garment is laundered or pressed. The slider is constructed such that external forces are received collectively at the neck portion which is most rigid throughout the slider parts.

United States Patent [191 Takamatsu [451 Sept. 24, 1974 AUTOMATICLOCKING SLIDERS [75] Inventor: Ikuo Takamatsu, Toyama, Japan [73]Assignee: Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha,

Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 427,478

[52] US. Cl 24/205.l4 R [51] Int. Cl A44b 19/30 [58] Field of Search24/205.l4 R, 205.14 K

[56] References Cited UNTTED STATES PATENTS 2,324,788 7/1943 Marinsky24/205.l4 R 3,052,939 9/1962 Johns 24/205.l4 R

Primary ExaminerBernard A. Gelak Attorney, Agent, or FirmHill, Gross,Simpson, Van Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson [57] ABSTRACT Anautomatic locking slider is disclosed for use with a slide fastener,which slider comprises a slider body, a pull tab and a locking spring.The locking spring is secured at one end in such a manner that it doesnot project outwardly beyond the outer surface of the slider body so asto avoid deformation of the spring when a slider-attached garment islaundered 0r pressed. The slider is constructed such that externalforces are received collectively at the neck portion which is most rigidthroughout the slider parts.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENHnsEPwsu sum 1 or 2 FIG.1

Bum..

FIG.4

FIG.3

1 AUTOMATIC LOCKING SLIDERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OFTHE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and FIGS. 1 and2 in This invention relates to sliders for slide fasteners andParticular, there is shown 1m improved automatic lock has particularreference to an automatic locking slider of the type comprising a sliderbody, a pull tab and a locking spring member without cap means toenclose the spring member.

Conventional locking sliders of the type described incorporate a lockingspring member that is disposed to project above the outer surface of theslider body. Such projecting spring member is liable to deformation ordamage when a garment or the like to which the slider is attached,undergoes cleaning, washing or pressing operation. Another drawback ofsuch conventional sliders is that sufficient considerations are absentwith regard to resistance of the slider per se to external pressures sothat the requisite spacing between the upper and lower wing members ofthe slider is often reduced or otherwise changed as a result of thepressing or like operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Whereas. it is an object of this invention toprovide an improved automatic locking slider of this character whichincorporates structural features designed to eliminate the foregoingdisadvantages of conventional sliders.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improvedautomatic locking slider of the particular construction wherein thelocking spring member is protected against deformation or damage and atthe same time, the wing to wing spacing or the fastener element guidechannel in the slider is held free from the influence of cleaning,pressing or like operations.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improvedautomatic locking slider of which height is reduced to a minimum asdesired.

These objects together with other features and advantages of theinvention will be more apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way ofexample certain preferred embodiments that the invention may assume inpractice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly brokenaway, of an improved automatic locking slider according to a firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal crosssectiorial view taken along the line IlIIof FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an improved automatic locking slider accordingto a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the line lV-IVOF FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an improved automatic locking slider accordingto a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-Vlof FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VIIof FIG. 5.

ing slider 10 embodying the invention which is fabricated by a die-castoperation and which generally comprises a slider body 11 constituted byan upper wing member 12 and a lower wing member 13 connected together atone end and in spaced opposed relation by an integral neck portion 14 toprovide a substantially Y shaped 'channel 15 therebetween for thepassage of rows of fastener elements (not shown). Flanges 16 and 17extend inwardly from the upper and lower wing members 12 and 13,respectively and serve to retain the fastener elements in the Y-shapedchannel 15 during longitudinal movement of the slider 10 along afastener (not shown) to open or close the latter in the well knownmanner.

Upon the upper wing member 12 at one or forward end immediately abovethe neck portion 14, there is provided a retaining lug 18 which overliesand encloses a recess 19 formed inthe outer surface of the upper wingmember 12 and which is adapted for the purpose hereafter to bedescribed.

Extending upwardly from the outer surface of the upper wing member 12adjacent the recess 19 is a supporting projection 20 for supportingthereon a center portion of a locking spring member later described.

The upper wing member 12 is further provided with an aperture 22 forreceiving a locking prong portion of the locking spring member inamanner hereafter to be described.

Designated at 23 is a locking spring member formed of a suitableresilient material into a polygonal shape as seen in FIG. 2. The springmember 23 has a tongue portion 23a at one end anchored in the recess 19and secured in place by the retaining lug 18 against displacementrelative to the slider body, for which purpose there is a wedge-likeprojection 18a extending inwardly from each side wall of the lug 18 andadapted to snap into engagement with corresponding recess 23b in thespring member 23 as shown in FIG. 1.

A center portion 230 of the locking spring member 23 is seated againstthe supporting projection 20 and is exposed to lie substantially flushwith the outer surface of the pull tab when the slider 10 is in lockedposition relative to the fastener. Extending downwardly from the centralportion 236 is a locking prong 23d which is arranged to pass through theaperture 22 in the upper wing member 12 and into the Y-shaped channel 15so as to come into locking engagement with the fastener elements in awell known manner.

There is provided a pull tab 24 having a transversely extending trunnionportion 24a which is disposed between the locking spring member 23 andthe outer surface (depression 21) of the upper wing member 12 and whichserves as a pivotal axis about which the pull tab 24 is swung to actuatethe locking spring member 23 in a well known manner. The pull tab 24 hasbifurcated arms 24b, 24b extending in spaced parallel relation onopposite sides of an opening 25 in the pull tab body and connectedtogether by the trunnion portion 24a. The trunnion portion 24a isreduced in thickness as compared to the arms 24b, 24b such that when thepull tab 24 is held flat against the upper wing member 12, the outersurface of the pull tab lies substantially flush with exposed surface ofthe locking spring member 23 as indicated by the solid line positon ofthese parts in FlG. 2. These arms 24b, 24b having their respective outersurfaces 24c lying substantially flush with the exposed surface 23:? ofthe locking spring member 23 and disposed on opposite sides of themajority of said exposed surface 232, will effectively protect thespring member 23 against deformation or damage which would otherwiseoccur during cleaning or pressing of the garment to which the slider isattached.

Designated at 26 is a stop member projecting upwardly from the upperwing member 12 adjacent the opposite end of the slider 10 and having ahook-like portion 260 which extends over the aperture 22 so as toprevent the locking prong 23d from being detached from the upper wingmember 12 when the pull tab 24 is lifted to the dotted-line positionshown in FIG. 2 to release the locking prong 230! from lockingengagement with the fastener elements.

Advantageously, in accordance with the invention, the retaining lug 18that retains the tongue portion 23a of the spring member 23 in therecess 19 against dis placement has the outer surface 18b projectingslightly above the outer surface 24c of each arm portion 24b of the pulltab 24 or above the exposed surface 23:: of the spring member 23, sothat external pressures as applied for example during pressing of thegarment are received collectively at the retaining lug 18 mounted on theneck portion 14 which is most rigid throughout the parts of the slider10 and are thus prevented from being exerted to the spring member 23 orto the wing members 12,13 which are vulnerable to crush to deform orchange the spacing therebetween.

Reference to H68. 3 and 4 shows a modified or second embodiment which issubstantially similar to the slider 10 shown in H68. 1 and 2, with theexceptions that a part of the tongue portion 230 of the locking springmember 23 is bent inwardly and embedded in the upper wing member 12 asat 23f to provide more stable anchorage of that portion of the springmember 23; the aperture 22 is longitudinally elongated to extend throughthe rearward end of the upper wing member 12; and the stop member 26 isdisposed horizontally in the form of a gate.

Another modified or third embodiment of the invention is illustrated inFIGS. 5, 6 and 7 inclusive, wherein there is provided an automaticlocking slider 10 which is fabricated by a press-forming process. Whilethe structural details, shapeandcontour of the slider 10 as a whole aresomewhat differentfrom the representative embodiment shown in FIGS. 1and 2, such details being a matter of choice, particular attention isinvited to the manner of retaining the locking spring member 23 inposition against displacment. The upper wing member 12 is bifurcated atthe forward end adjacent the neck portion 14 soas to provide an opening27, and bifurcated portions 12a, 12a are provided with recesses 12b, 12brespectively on opposite sides of the opening 27 for receiving atransversely elongated tongue portion 23a of the spring member 23 asshown in FIG. 7. The elongated end portion 23a is retained in therecesses 12b,12b by a swollen retaining lug 18 which extends integrallyfrom the neck portion 14 and is U-bent to abut the end portion 23a asbetter shown in FIG. 6. in this embodiment also. it is important toposition the lug 18 such that its outer surface 18b projects slightlyabove the outer surface 24c of the pull tab 24, and also to position thepull tab 24 such that its outer surface 24c of the pull tab 24 liessubstantially flush with the exposed surface 23c of the spring member 23for reasons set fourth herein above.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic locking slider of the class described comprising anupper wing member and a lower wing member positioned in spaced opposedrelation and connected at one end and by an integral neck portion toprovide a substantially Y-shaped channel therebetween, a locking springmember having an inwardly bent tongue portion at one end, a lockingprong at the other end and exposed center portion, said upper wingmember having an aperture disposed for the passage therethrough of saidlocking prong into the Y-shaped channel, a retaining lug provided onsaid upper wing member immediately above said neck portion for retainingsaid tongue portion in place against displacement, and a pull tab havinga transversely extending trunnion portion disposed between said lockingspring member and said upper wing member, said trunnion portion beingreduced in thickness such that the outer surface of said pull tabnormally lies substantially flush with the exposed outer surface of saidlocking spring member, and said retaining lug projecting slightly abovethe outer surfaces of said pull tab and said locking spring member.

UN-ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORREQTEGN Patent No.3,837,050 Dated September 24, 19 74 IKUO TAKAMATSU Inventofls) It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover page, insert the following notation in the heading:

December 29, 1972 Japan 48 -2735.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of November 1974.

(SEAL) Atteets MeGOZ M. GIBSON JR. c; MARSHALL DANN Commissioner ofPatents Attesting Officer USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 u.s. GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFICE I969 0-366-334,

'ORM Po-105o (10-59)

1. An automatic locking slider of the class described comprising anupper wing member and a lower wing member positioned in spaced opposedrelation and connected at one end and by an integral neck portion toprovide a substantially Y-shaped channel therebetween, a locking springmember having an inwardly bent tongue portion at one end, a lockingprong at the other end and exposed center portion, said upper wingmember having an aperture disposed for the passage therethrough of saidlocking prong into the Y-shaped channel, a retaining lug provided onsaid upper wing member immediately above said neck portion for retainingsaid tongue portion in place against displacement, and a pull tab havinga transversely extending trunnion portion disposed between said lockingspring member and said upper wing member, said trunnion portion beingreduced in thickness such that the outer surface of said pull tabnormally lies substantially fluSh with the exposed outer surface of saidlocking spring member, and said retaining lug projecting slightly abovethe outer surfaces of said pull tab and said locking spring member.